Father's Day 1996

Chicago Tribune

The one I will probably remember the most is the 1996 championship and Jordan helping lead the Bulls to a Game 6 win over Seattle on June 16, which was Father's Day. The reason the final game is the most memorable for me is because out of each of his titles, that fourth one might be the one that means the most. I remember Jordan having to leave the sport after the third title because of the murder of his father, and here he was back on top of the league after being out for 18 months, stealing and clutching the game ball from Toni Kukoc as the final buzzer sounded. The next and most memorable shot from that night was Jordan in the training room, clutching that same ball as he laid on his stomach, sobbing uncontrollably as Bulls assistant equipment manager Joe Lee tried to console him. I, like many other people, was affected by Jordan in some fashion growing up in Chicago. To see that human aspect of him touched me and I remember crying along with him because when the news broke about Jordan's father, it felt like Chicago had lost a family member. Everyone remembers James Jordan right by his son's side as he held that first title while releasing all the emotion that had built up to get him to that point. That victory was the perfect way to honor his father and aside from "The Shot" in Utah, you can't write a better story than that 95-96 season that culminated with a title on Father's Day. I still remember him fighting back tears while talking with Ahmad Rashad about the significance of that title. Each title has its own defining moment and there are numerous of plays, games and memories of Jordan, but that fourth title was the moment for me. --Christopher Cason, Bulls beat writer for CSN Chicago

The one I will probably remember the most is the 1996 championship and Jordan helping lead the Bulls to a Game 6 win over Seattle on June 16, which was Father's Day. The reason the final game is the most memorable for me is because out of each of his titles, that fourth one might be the one that means the most. I remember Jordan having to leave the sport after the third title because of the murder of his father, and here he was back on top of the league after being out for 18 months, stealing and clutching the game ball from Toni Kukoc as the final buzzer sounded. The next and most memorable shot from that night was Jordan in the training room, clutching that same ball as he laid on his stomach, sobbing uncontrollably as Bulls assistant equipment manager Joe Lee tried to console him. I, like many other people, was affected by Jordan in some fashion growing up in Chicago. To see that human aspect of him touched me and I remember crying along with him because when the news broke about Jordan's father, it felt like Chicago had lost a family member. Everyone remembers James Jordan right by his son's side as he held that first title while releasing all the emotion that had built up to get him to that point. That victory was the perfect way to honor his father and aside from "The Shot" in Utah, you can't write a better story than that 95-96 season that culminated with a title on Father's Day. I still remember him fighting back tears while talking with Ahmad Rashad about the significance of that title. Each title has its own defining moment and there are numerous of plays, games and memories of Jordan, but that fourth title was the moment for me. --Christopher Cason, Bulls beat writer for CSN Chicago (Chicago Tribune)

The one I will probably remember the most is the 1996 championship and Jordan helping lead the Bulls to a Game 6 win over Seattle on June 16, which was Father's Day. The reason the final game is the most memorable for me is because out of each of his titles, that fourth one might be the one that means the most. I remember Jordan having to leave the sport after the third title because of the murder of his father, and here he was back on top of the league after being out for 18 months, stealing and clutching the game ball from Toni Kukoc as the final buzzer sounded. The next and most memorable shot from that night was Jordan in the training room, clutching that same ball as he laid on his stomach, sobbing uncontrollably as Bulls assistant equipment manager Joe Lee tried to console him. I, like many other people, was affected by Jordan in some fashion growing up in Chicago. To see that human aspect of him touched me and I remember crying along with him because when the news broke about Jordan's father, it felt like Chicago had lost a family member. Everyone remembers James Jordan right by his son's side as he held that first title while releasing all the emotion that had built up to get him to that point. That victory was the perfect way to honor his father and aside from "The Shot" in Utah, you can't write a better story than that 95-96 season that culminated with a title on Father's Day. I still remember him fighting back tears while talking with Ahmad Rashad about the significance of that title. Each title has its own defining moment and there are numerous of plays, games and memories of Jordan, but that fourth title was the moment for me. --Christopher Cason, Bulls beat writer for CSN Chicago